Electric connecter



Dec. 7 1926. 1,610,052

(3. E. HOLMES ELECTRIC CONNECTER Filed Feb. 21, 1923 Charles E.Ho| m$, by I llisflttorn' ey.

Patented Dec. 7, 1926..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HOLMES, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, .ASSIG'N'OR GENERAL-ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION .OF NEW YORK.

ELEYGTRIC GONNECTEB.

- Application filed February 21, 1923. Serial No. 620,511.

My invention relates to electric conductor terminals and connecters and more in particular to electric connecters such as those used in electrical instruments for connecting the internal instrument lead to the out-going, circuit. The object of my invention is-to provide an im roved connecter of the class described whic requires a minimum of labor and material for its construction. A further object of my invention is to provide such a connecter which is adapted to receive and firmly secure .cablesof various sizes without modification, A further object of my invention is an improved. method of forming a screw eye for such a connecter and for .electric conductors in general whereby the hole, which is threaded to form a screw eye, is made without punching or. drilling the material in which it is formed, Other advantages of my improved connecter will appear as the description proceeds,

The features of my invention which I believe l to be novel and patentable will be pointed out in the claims appended hereto. .The structural details of my connecter will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 represents a connecter made up of a cylinder and-a piece of wire; Fig. 2 shows the parts of the connecter shown in Fig. 1 as they appear in the process of construction; Fig. 2 shows a part adapted for a plurality of screw eyes; and Figs; 3,4, 5 and 6 show modifications of the connecter, the latter fig- -ure illustrating the manner of connecting the external cables to the connecter.

In Fig. 1, I have shown a connecter made up of twoparts, a cylindenl and a wire loo '2. The wire loop 2 is preferably made of rass or copper or any other good electrical conductor of suflicient strength for the purpose specified. If its mechanical strength is more important than its electrical conductivi it may be made of ordinary steel wire. he wire is referably although not necessarily made 0 circular cross section. The wire is formed into a loop having one or more eyes 3 and a straight parallel portion 4. The eye portion is formed in any suitable manner as by clamping the wire about a rod of the proper SlZe. The hole thus formed is then tapped out so as to form I internal threads for the reception of a standard size screw 5. To preventthe eye portion from springing apart under strain, I

find it desirable to twist the intermediate portion of the wire loop as shown in Fig. 2, or weld, braze or solder the wires together close up to the eye as in Fig. 1. If desirable two or more turns of the wire maybe used to form the eye. This simple manner of forming a screw eye doesaway with the usual drilling or punching operation necessary to form a hole which is afterward tapped out. In some cases where the metal of which the wire is made is not too hard, I may clamp the Wire about a threaded die or a threaded steel rod with sufficient pressure to cut the internal thread. by pressure and thus form the eye and internal thread by a single operation. If desirable the die may be in continuous rotation. I

The cylindrical portion 1 of the connecter may be cut from a tube of the proper dimen-' sions and material,. preferably steel. The straight parallel portion 4 of the wire loop is then inserted in'the c linder and the parts 1, thereby firmly clamping the portion 4 of the wire in a trough formed at one sideof the tube. N0 solder or brazing is necessary to make this junction secure. Of course the cylindrical portion 1 may be drawn into the proper shape with a trough at one side before being cut from the tube or said portion may be drawn or bent to the desired shape from a suitable sheet of 'metal. A tap hole 7 for the insertion of a clamping screw 8 is made in the cylinder opposite the wire 4. This hole may be made either before or after the wire is clamped in place. It will be evident that a cable, varying in siz e from a diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder to a diameter of, say, one-third the diameter of the wire used in the loop, may be inserted in theend of the cylinder and securely clamped against the wires 4. The depression or ground formed between the-two wires always centers the inserted cable in alinement with theclamping screw 8, making a good, electrical capacity in comparisont'o the mass of mate-c rial used and consequently may be used-with relatively high current densities. When the tube into theshape shown at 6 in Fig.

.of a wire loop 2 and a strap being bentin the form of a and provided with a large opening at lOfor the insertion of a cable, a tap hole 7 for the insertion of a clamping screw Sand a small oblong-hole 11 for inserting the straight ortion 4 of the wire loop 2. In this In ification the joints between the straps 9 and loop 2 are preferably secured by solder or brazing. Oltherwise, the description of Figure 1 app ies.

In Figs. 4 and 6, the entire connecter, with the exception of the clamping screws, is made of wire. In these figures as well as in Fig.

'5, solder or brazing is preferably applied at the joints exposed to. strain as at 12. Cables of various diameters may be inserted in the opening or openings 13 and clamped against the straight portion 4, the depression formed between the wires causing the inserted cable to aline up with the clamping screw 8. The screw eyes 3 are formedin' the same manner as prevlously explained. The connecter of Fig. 5 is provided with two alined openings 13, whereby two comparatively heavy cables may be inserted at the opposite end to abut against each other and then firmly clamped in place by suitable screws. One or more screw eye connecters 3 may be branched off in the manner indicated at 14. In this modification as in the, others, the body portion of the connecter ismade of a'single piece of wire. The ends of the wire are secured together to form one-terminal by means of a c linder as in Fig. 1 while one or more terminals of suitable shape are made in the wire itself, the screw .e es therefor being formed by internally read substantially closed rings in the wire. In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the connecter is strengthened by twisting the "wire ad'acent the screw eyes. ,The manner ofattac ing the-cables is also illustrated.

In the foregoing description I have specified that the wire portion of the connecters is preferablyv strengthened either by twisting the parts together or by applying solder or brazing at the joints expose to strain, but it will be'evident that if the wire is heavy enough these. precautions will not be necessary. It will also be evident that the eye'may-beleftunthreaded where it is debrations, whereas, if therewere some flexibility in the conection, this would not occur. The type of connecter described in this specification has a certain amount of desirable flexibility between its terminals which in a measure relieves the terminals as well as the terminals of the cables connected thereto from such destructive strains.

It will be evident from the modifications shown that various other .modifications shaped and arranged with the terminals best suited for the purpose at hand may be constructed without departin 'from the spirit of my invention and there ore I do not wish ,to be limited to the exactconstructions il lustrated but seek to cover in the appended claims all modifications coming fairly within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An electric connecter having .a portion thereof made of a wire loop, a screw eye in anend of said loop, means for securing other portions of said' wire together with straight parallel portions in contact forming a groove between said ortions, and means adjustably secured. wit respect to said straight parallel portions for clamping a conductor in the groove formed between said portions. 7

2. An electric connecter comprising a wire having a loop formed therein, an eye formed in the closed end of said loop, amember for.

securing the ends of said wire together with straight parallel end portions of the wire in contact, thereby forming a groove between said portions, said securing member having a portion spaced away from said groove, and a. clamping screw threaded through said spaced portion for clamping a cable in said groove.

3. An electric connecter comprising a wire having a formed therein, an eye formed in the close end of said loop, a cylindrical member, the ends of said wire being secured .in parallel relation on an inner wall of said cyhndrical member so as to form a groove between the end ortions of said wire paral-.

lel to said wal and a clamping screw threaded through the opposite wall of said cylindrical member.

4.. An electric connecter-comprising a cyl-. inder, a clamping screw threaded through a wall thereof, a trough formed parallel to the axis of said cylinder in the inner wall thereof opposite to said screw, a. looped wire having the end portions of the wire clamped in said trough by the side wall thereof and having the closed portion of said looped wire extended out of said cylinder and a screw threaded through a circular loop of said wire outside of said cylinder. l

5. In an electric connecter having its body portion made of \a wire conductor, a, terminal therefor formed by securing straight parallel portions of said wire in contact,

bending said wire adjacent said straight parallel portions so as to form a circular opening through which a conductor may be inserted to lie in the groove formed between said straight parallel portions, and providing a binding screw in a threaded loop of said wire spaced from and facing said groove.

6. A wire connecter provided with means for securing two straight parallel portions of wire, forming a part'of the connecter, in

contact, whereby a groove is formed between said portions, and other means secured in adjustable relation to said groove for clamping a cable therein.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 25 my hand this 2nd day of February, 1923.

CHARLES E. HOHMES. 

